


Protecting My Star

by MamaMimars



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Popstar, F/F, Fluff and Angst, mom! manuela cause i'm soft for her, other black eagle couples mentioned but not the main point
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:33:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24497260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MamaMimars/pseuds/MamaMimars
Summary: Dorothea Arnault was a name that everyone in Adrestia knew. Pop star and practically cover girl for Black Eagle Entertainment, she has everything she could ever need in life, but she can't run from her past. Her new bodyguard, Petra Macneary, is hired for her protection as her fame grows, but she may have gotten more than she bargained for.
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault/Petra Macneary
Comments: 7
Kudos: 52





	1. Pretty Little Head

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a beautiful fanart of Dorothea as a popstar, but the artist's twitter is down now. Other inspiration from [Xima](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xima/pseuds/Xima) who wished to see a popstar/bodyguard AU for our little lovebirds after witnessing said fanart. :') Please go read their beautiful DoroPetra story; Jadeheart.
> 
> TW for attempted assault. Section starts and ends with a * if you wish to skip over it.
> 
> I have rewritten this chapter too many times, and I'm still not 100% happy with it, but the show must go on!

**12th of Blue Sea Moon, 2008**

__

“GET AWAY FROM ME!” a child, no older than ten, screeched as a man approached her. Tears built up in her emerald eyes, remnants of food and junk scattered within the mats of her curly brown hair. Similarly, her clothes, a basic shirt, a pair of sweatpants, and a hooded jacket, were dusted over with a layer of dirt. She wore no shoes; her feet were calloused and red from constant walking without protection.

__

“Come over here lass. I don’t bite…  _ hard. _ ” he chuckled, walking towards the girl with a hand reaching out towards her. She attempted to run, but a child cannot outrun a full grown man. He grabbed her wrist tightly, preventing her from escaping.

__

The girl started wailing at the top of her lungs. She tried to fight back, pulling at her wrist, hitting the man with her free arm, kicking her legs towards him as he started to pick her up.

__

“Excuse me, what do you think you’re doing? Release that child at once!!” the man and the girl looked where the voice came from. A slender woman with generous cleavage showing down her dark green dress, and light brown hair that was pulled back over her head was making her way towards the scene. Her similarly light brown eyes glared at the man, a deep fury held within them. Her heels clacked strongly against the concrete sidewalk before stopping in front of them. “Did you not hear me? Release that child at  _ once! _ Or should I call my security guards from across the street?”

__

Parked on the other side of the road was a small limo, two suited men whose builds were nothing to scoff at, were watching carefully. The man gulped and dropped the girl straight on the ground before making a run for it.

__

“What a disgusting creature!” the woman scoffed as the man disappeared from their sights. Below her, the girl curled herself up with her arms around her knees. Sniffles and tears came out gently as her whole body was shaking. Her eyes softened as she squatted down towards the child. “Are you alright my dear?”

__

The girl looked up and stared blankly for a moment before giving her a nod. The woman reached out towards her, intending to put a hand on the girl’s shoulder for comfort, but she flinched away. Instead she put her hand in front of the girl.

__

“I am Manuela Casagranda. What is your name?” she looked at the girl softly, a small smile on her lips.

__

She wiped her hand on her dirty clothes in an attempt to clean it off before grasping Manuela’s hand in greeting. “I-i’m Dorothea A-arnault.” she sniffled again.

__

“Dorothea, do you have anywhere to go?” she asked gently. Dorothea shook her head and Manuela frowned for a moment, before offering a smile. “Would you like to come with me?” The dull greens of Dorothea’s eyes started to shine like gemstones as she nodded her head excitedly.

* * *

_**1st of Verdant Rain Moon, 2022** _

“THEA! THEA! THEA!” echoes of the crowds’ voices were leaking into her dressing room. The bass from the tunes playing rumbled against the walls. Dorothea opened her eyes and stared at herself. Her emerald eyes were enhanced by a finely drawn eyeliner around the top of her eyelid. Her long lashes fluttered out further thanks to a good helping of mascara. Her lips were plump, and carried a shade that was devilishly red. Her long locks of brunette hair, waved gently down the sides of her face into fierce curls down her back and above her breasts. In short, she was beyond gorgeous and wasn’t afraid to flaunt it. 

Yet when she looked at herself, she didn’t feel pride or joy; really, she didn’t feel anything at all. It was like an emptiness, a void, a darkness that was nothing and everything all at once. It pushed her down and threatened to drown her thoughts and voice if she let it. She took a deep breath as she tried to wash the thoughts of her past away.

_What am I doing here…?_

“T-minus 2 minutes, M-miss Arnault!” squeaked a young woman with a bob of purple hair.

Dorothea let out a sigh and a chuckle. “For the last time…” she got out of her seat to ruffle the woman’s hair. “It’s Dorothea to you, Bernie. Don’t make me give Hubert a call.” the girl gave another small squeak and nodded furiously.

Her black sandal heels echoed backstage as she made her way towards the crowd. She grabbed a microphone and an earpiece from a blue haired stagehand who gave her a thumbs up as she passed by.

“Good luck Dorie!” he called on the earpiece to her.

“Thank you Caspar. Can you make sure Bernie is doing alright? I know these large crowds don’t bode well with her.” Dorothea whispered to him in a worried tone as the lights turned off on the stage she was walking towards.

“Aye aye captain!” he replied with a beep, indicating that he left the channel their earpieces were connected to.

The crowd was silent as Dorothea snuck her way to the middle of the stage in the darkness. It felt suffocating for a moment; the dark was too much like her inner thoughts. Another voice on her earpiece, “Thea, it’s going to be alright. Are you ready?” The voice was firm but rooted her back in reality; although she was somewhat startled that the CEO herself was on the line.

“Thank you Edie, yes I’m ready.” she replied quietly. A single spotlight cracked open on her, the crowd continued to be silent. Her outfit was simple, but left nothing to imagination. She wore a deep red, cropped tank top that showed off the curves of her waist, and smooth skin of her arms and stomach. Her black leather pants shined brightly under the intense spotlight, and wrapped tightly around her long legs.

“People of Enbarr!” Dorothea started as the crowd cheered, then quieted down for her next lines. “Thank you so much for coming out tonight, it means a lot to me.” Music quietly started up from the speakers around the stage, a slight vibration from the bass of the music rumbling through the arena. “This will be my last song for the night...so let’s make it count.” she seductively whispered into the microphone.

As the music blasted from the speakers around her, the Mystical Songstress, as she used to be known, let her voice fly free. It wasn’t necessarily that she felt like herself during these performances, afterall the point of a performance was to act. The Dorothea on stage was still a part of her, but it wasn’t all of who she was. Performing gave her comfort in that what she needed to do, say, or in this case sing, were already predetermined. She just needed to follow the steps laid out in front of her. 

_Huh, it never felt that way when I was at Mittelfrank…_

The song came to a close as Dorothea held a dramatic pose. Her hand angled out towards the crowds as though she were calling them towards her. She held a broad smile for her fans until the lights dimmed.

The crowds quieted down as she made her way backstage. Caspar came to her side, removing any technological equipment from her. Giving his congratulations for the successful concert to her as he did so. Bernadetta (aka Bernie) walked by her as she made her way towards her dressing room. Informing her that the interview after her show had been cancelled and that an approved gift would be waiting for her inside. Normally all gifts would simply be held by security; Dorothea, while she appreciated the effort of her fans, didn’t find the need for anything that was given to her.

“Who approved it?” she asked as she placed her hand on the door knob, hesitant to open it up. She thought she kept the ice in her voice from showing, but the squeak from Bernie told her otherwise.

“M-miss Hresvelg d-d-did.” Bernie was now hiding behind her clipboard. Dorothea immediately felt a sense of guilt and turned around to place a gentle hand on Bernadetta’s shoulder. 

“I’m sorry Bernie, I’m not mad at you… Edie on the other hand.” she let out with a sigh. “I’ll be good for the rest of the evening. I’d dismiss you for the night, but I’m sure you have other work to do.” Bernadetta nodded timidly, muttered out some more apologies that Dorothea gently reprimanded her for, and then she was on her way. The girl did a lot to ensure that Dorothea’s shows went smoothly, handling all of the logistics of her job’s tasks. Something Dorothea would surely get overwhelmed by herself, so she was thankful to have Bernie there for help.

_Alright Edie, what are you up to this time?_ Dorothea narrowed her eyes as she tentatively opened the door.

There was a huge bouquet of roses on her dresser and a bottle of what she assumed to be red wine beside it; her favorite to drink after a stressful show, but only those close to her would know. Dorothea relaxed as she made her way towards the items; nothing out of the ordinary from her boss, Edelgard von Hresvelg. 

Dorothea practically dove her face into the roses, filling her nose with their aroma. They were her absolute favorite flower. As she moved away from the bouquet, she noticed an envelope below them. She picked it up and froze; eyes wider than a doe in headlights. If the familiar scent of perfume permeating the envelope didn’t tell her who it was from, the front of it did. In elegant cursive letters all that was written was:

_~From Manuela~_

She nearly downed the whole bottle of wine on the spot. 

A little under an hour later, Bernadetta returned to the room to check on her. What she found was a giddy, giggling, and blatantly drunk Dorothea lazing on her chair; the bottle of wine still in hand. She pounced on Bernie with a hug, already sputtering sweet talk towards the timid girl as she tried to escape. “D-d-dorothea I’m g-gonna get you home so p-please--” she whined as she fumbled the phone in her hands, attempting to call their driver for the night. 

Dorothea paused in her antics, though kept herself close to Bernie. “You called me Dorothea! I’m ssshhhooo proud of youuuuu~” then continued to hug the girl tightly.

Luckily Caspar was still around, and the driver was ready for them almost instantly. With Caspar’s help, they managed to get Dorothea into the back of the car.

“You sure you don’t need me to come along?” Caspar questioned Bernadetta, as she climbed into the vehicle with Dorothea. She nodded to him almost confidently.

“I-i’m going to make sure she gets home safe, and then I’ll go home too. I’ll send you a message when both of those happen in case though.” she informed him. He gave her a quick wave and closed the door of the car for them. 

It was nearing midnight as they reached the gates of Dorothea’s residence. The gates opened after some taps from Bernie using Dorothea’s phone and the car drove around the fountain to the entrance. The front courtyard was dimly lit with fairy lights hanging around the gardens and the doorstep. Bernie took note that the hedges and rose bushes needed a trim as she opened the door and did her best to drag Dorothea through.

To call Dorothea’s home “modest”, might be a bit of an overstatement, but compared to some other celebrity homes it certainly was. The two story mansion opened up into a large living space; ceilings reaching where the second floor might have been. The shimmering tiled floor and pristinely white walls were a stark contrast to the well worn leather couch set in front of a mess of DVDs, game consoles, and a rather tame 50” LCD television screen.

Dorothea attempted to make her way towards the couch, but was dragged by Bernie into the kitchen on the other side of the entrance. She carefully sat Dorothea on one of the stools near the kitchen island and prepped her a glass of water. Dorothea made a face at it, but drank slowly when Bernie attempted to glare at her.

The purple-haired girl scavenged a vase from one of the many cabinets, and placed the roses from the bouquet into it. She looked at the unopened envelope with sad eyes, and placed it in front of the vase for Dorothea to hopefully read in the morning.

The brunette finished her cup of water, though ironically was still clinging to the wine bottle with her other arm. The sight would have made Bernadetta laugh normally, were it not so late at night after a long day of work. She managed to half drag, half convince Dorothea to walk up the ballroom-like stairs in the living room so they could get her to bed.

The second story consisted of 6 rooms, 3 on each side of the building. On one side were simple guest rooms adorned with beds, closets, windows, and even their own bathrooms. Though no one had used them for a long while. The other side had another bedroom, smaller than the other 3, as well as a study room of sorts (Dorothea kept her opera books amongst other items in there), as well as Dorothea’s room.

Bernie managed to get Dorothea to let go of the wine bottle, placing it beside her bed. Getting the woman to change in her drunken state would be an impossible task, so she settled with just getting her into the bed with at least a blanket on. She left a glass of water, as well as a bottle of painkillers next to the wine. Dorothea was knocked out by the time she came back into the room. She gave a small smile with a sigh, sent a text to Caspar, and left to go to her own home.

* * *

A shy, timid, brown-haired girl wandered around the backstage of a show as singers and dancers cleaned themselves up to leave. Vivid colors, people of all shapes and sizes, and extravagant costumes of people from times past reflected in her large green eyes as she watched with curiosity. 

Loud laughter from these strangers enticed her to come closer to the commotion. Some patted her head and spoke of her joining them one day as they walked by. She gave them a huge grin, “I’ll be a songstress like my mom!” she proudly told them, though they laughed at her claim, none doubted her and some encouraged her to do just that.

The girl ran around the stage when she thought no one was looking, giggling to herself as she imagined the seats were full of people. She stood in the center of the stage, looked up to the ceiling, and sang from the top of her lungs. Just like she had watched earlier that night.

“Dorothea!” the voice might have sounded like it was scolding her, if it weren’t for the musicality of it. The girl winced nonetheless since she had been caught in her antics.

She trotted over to the woman who had called her, a pout already appearing on her face. “Yes mom…?” she whimpered.

The woman’s brown eyes were wide. “M-mom? Me? Is that…” she kneeled down to meet Dorothea’s height, the girl not looking up at her despite hands being placed on her shoulders.

“I’m sorry for playing on the stage! A-and for calling you mom, Manuela. I know you’re not―”

“Do you want me to be?” the woman interrupted her. Dorothea looked up with a small gasp. Manuela was looking at her with a fierceness in her eyes, but her furrowed eyebrows and pursed lips indicated she was nervous.

“W-want me to be your mom that is…” Manuela uncharacteristically stuttered, almost whispering.

Dorothea’s emerald eyes glistened over with tears, before she started to sob. It wasn’t a pretty sight; her cheeks were like waterfalls, her nose started running, and her eyes puffed as more tears spilled from them. She couldn’t find it in herself to speak, so she just nodded. Manuela bit her lip, before she started to cry too.

“Come here, sweetie.” she held Dorothea tight, running her fingers down her hair and rubbing circles on her back in an attempt to soothe the crying. They stayed like that for a long time.

The curtains of the stage fell, only darkness followed suit. In the darkness was the Dorothea of today, breathing haggard as though she had been running. She grasped around in the darkness for something, anything to get her out of it. A rope! She pulled as hard as she could, and the curtains that had seemingly disappeared, opened again. It wasn’t a stage she saw.

The scene had changed; the young girl was now a young adult. She was in a dressing room, still in costume from the show that had just finished. In front of her a bouquet of roses, in her hand a small business card. The front of the card displayed an emblem of an eagle. Its wings were spread wide and its gaze was piercing. The back of the card had a phone number, but it was handwritten. 

She couldn’t help but squeeze the paper between her fingers. Was this some weirdo trying to get her contact info? It felt more significant than that somehow. Should she ask her mom about it? She would tell Dorothea to throw it away. She flipped the card over and stared at the eagle; a phone call couldn’t hurt, right?

The brunette pulled out her pink flip phone, heart charms dangling off the side as she dialed the number from the business card. The line had started to ring. Her palms were sweaty and her heart was pumping wildly. She was nervous… or was she excited?

“Hello.” a man had picked up. Dorothea imagined a snake on the other side. “Who is calling and for what purpose?”

“Oh, I uh… my name’s Dorothea Arnault. Purpose? Uhm… I dunno I got this weird card with a bouquet of flowers after my opera show.” she shrugged. There was silence between the two that dragged on forever, though it was only a minute or so. She played with the frills of her dress as she waited for a reply.

“Miss Arnault, please wait a moment.” he told her. Hadn’t she already been waiting? This was weird. She moved her phone away from her ear in preparation to hang up when she heard another voice, a lady? Or a girl? She sounded young.

“Hello Dorothea, before I begin I must apologize for a few things. One, I didn’t set this up in the best way so I apologize for the confusion of my contact information, I was unable to meet you directly. Security at Mittelfrank was surprisingly tight. Two, the man you spoke with Hubert, I didn’t hear what he said but if it were anything… _strange,_ I am sorry.” the woman paused, and the man could be heard in the background likely complaining about the accusation, though Dorothea couldn’t hear what he was saying. She was utterly and completely lost at what was happening, so she chimed in before things got worse.

“Uhm, I’m sorry but what is this number for? Who are you?”

There was laughter, light and airy; it made Dorothea feel giddy listening to it. “Well here’s another thing to apologize for I suppose, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m sorry I’m rather new at this.” she cleared her throat. “I am Edelgard von Hresvelg, CEO of Black Eagle Entertainment. I was at your show this evening, and I would like to recruit you as a singer in my company.”

Dorothea gaped, “I-you-WHAT?!”

“I understand that this is a big ask, and you needn’t give an answer right now,” her reply was gentle.

Dorothea took a big breath, she felt like the world was spinning. “I’m...yeah I definitely can’t give you an answer yet. I’ll have to talk to my mother about this too.” She held her head in her free hand, grimacing about how the conversation would go with Manuela.

“If it would make you more comfortable and would help with a decision, I can set up a meeting between us. We can discuss all the necessary details to make the arrangement suitable for you and your family and anything else you wish to ask. Also I suppose it’d make sense for us to meet in person before finalizing anything as well.” Edelgard responded, sounds of papers shuffling could be heard close to the phone.

“Y-yes, I can agree with all of that.”

“Good, it’s settled then. I’ll have Hubert, my assistant, send you a text message with everything you need. Should the time not work for you, simply respond back and we’ll figure something out. I appreciate your time Dorothea, and look forward to meeting you.” Before Dorothea could respond, the line beeped as the call ended. She stared at her phone, dumbfounded. A loud knock at her door nearly had her dropping her phone.

“Dorothea, are you ready to go home ― my! What beautiful flowers! Who’s the secret admirer?” Manuela’s eyebrows raised, a teasing smile on her lips as she entered the room.

“Uhm…” Dorothea fidgeted in her seat, “Mom, you might wanna sit down for this one…”

The scene vanished instantly. _No, don’t- I…_ Dorothea grasped at her throat, unable to bring her voice to fruition. Was she suffocating? The darkness made it feel like she was drowning. She attempted to breathe; to her surprise her lungs filled with air. She slowed her breaths trying to calm her quickening heart. Her footsteps were timid, each one echoed no matter how quietly she tried to move forward. Finally she hit a wall, and her hands scrambled in a search for anything to get her out. A handle… it’s a door!

It opened up into the central area of downtown Enbarr. Manuela and Dorothea step out of black car, with darkly tinted windows. Their mouths gaping at the building they were being dropped off at. They had to crane their heads all the way just to see all of it in one view. Its glass surfaces reflecting the bright sun pouring down on them. Red and black banners, embroidered the flying eagle sat on each side of the entrance.

“Oh goddess… what have we gotten ourselves into... “ Manuela murmured, not expecting any sort of answer as she thought out loud.

The driver of the vehicle, a young woman with messy cornflower blue hair and azure eyes walked over to them. Donned in a black blazer, slacks, white dress shirt, and an expressionless face she was a bit intimidating to the two songstresses. She touched her ear, perhaps listening for instructions.

“Come this way, I’ll take you to Edelgard.” she motioned the duo to follow her through the revolving door. Manuela followed, but Dorothea stayed behind. The ground started to shake, the windows of the building cracking as the rumbles got more intense. Dorothea tried to scream, to tell Manuela to run but again her voice had failed. The windows shattered as the structure collapsed, taking her future, her friends, her family away from her all at once.

* * *

Dorothea nearly flung herself forward off the bed at the speed she woke up. Her body was drenched in sweat and she was gasping for air. It was just a dream ― _CRASH!_ The sound of glass shattering happened again. Her eyes widened and she held her breath, her heart practically coming to a stop. She slowly got out of bed, freezing in place as footsteps echoed in the hallway. The door to her room was closed, so for better or worse she couldn’t see who was out there. Shadows of feet could be seen right below her door, they paused there. Dorothea kept her eyes locked forward, but the person passed by her room and continued down the hall.

She quickly snatched her phone from the bedside table and speed dialed the first number that appeared. Listening to the ringing so intently, she lost track of the intruder. Her door flung open and the songstress screamed as a “Hello?” sounded from the person she had called.

*

The man wasn’t scrawny by any means, and from the limited light peering in from the hall, he didn’t seem to be some random bum either. “Dorothea? Is something wrong?” She had dialed Edelgard, her voice was laced with worry at the lack of any reply. Dorothea was shaking, eyes darting between the phone in her hand, the objects in her room she could possibly use to defend herself, and the man slowly stepping towards her.

“Dorothea, _dearest”,_ she wanted to vomit.

“I am NOT your dearest!” she yelled at the top of her lungs. “W-whoever you are, get the fuck away from me!” She bumped into the bedside table, unknowingly backing herself away from him. “Dorothea?! What’s happening? We’re on the way there!” her phone echoed with Edelgard’s voice again.

“You want me to leave? After I’ve come so far just to see you?” the man scoffed. “I’ve been sending you gifts you know. Why haven’t you replied to any of my letters?”

“Leave, NOW!” she hissed back. The man laughed.

“No.”

With that he lunged towards her. Dorothea lifted a knee up and attempted to shove him away as she flung her leg out with as much force as she could muster, but the man was far stronger than she had anticipated. He simply grabbed her leg and prevented it from impact. His grip was tight, and she tried to maneuver her leg free, but her leather pants were not allowing her to be as agile as she needed to be.

She reached behind her and grabbed whatever she could. Throwing the bottle of pills at his face loosened his grip slightly. She then threw the glass of water which hit him so hard, he had to let go. The force of trying to get her leg free, along with the man letting go caused her to spin and lose balance, ending up on the ground. She flipped herself over to defend whatever attack was coming her way. The man had dove on her before she could react.

His hands held her wrists so tightly above her head, she thought they might break. His waist straddled her legs; he was so heavy she couldn’t move them though she tried. The worst part of it all was his face hovering right above hers. She expected some greasy slob to be the culprit, but the man was clean shaven, hair styled and trimmed, a waft of expensive cologne hovered around him. A rich commoner maybe, but a nobleman more likely. It was revolting. She started to become so angry that tears filled the corners of her eyes

“I don’t want to hurt you.” the man told her, though the statement was ironic at this point. “I just want to make you happy. I have everything you could possibly want, you know?” He shifted his grip so only one of his hands was holding her wrists down. He used the other to trace the side of her face with his fingers. She looked away from him, closing her eyes tightly. _THINK!_

She had taken many self defense sessions with Byleth, leader of the company’s security team. All employees had to, even Edelgard, so they could best protect themselves when needed. Memories of their training flashed before her eyes as she tried to come up with a plan. 

_“Fighting isn’t just about using your body, but your head too.” Byleth told Dorothea, after she had fallen for the umpteenth time that day._

In a moment of clarity, she realized what she had to do. She swung her head directly at the man’s causing him to flinch away with a yelp of pain and release his grip on her. That was definitely going to bruise later; her head was equally in pain from the action. With her hands free, she grabbed the nearest object she could find; the wine bottle. She clutched the neck of the bottle with both hands and brought it down over the top of the intruder’s head. It clashed against his skull and shattered on impact. The man slumped to the side and didn’t move another inch, effectively neutralized by the force of the blow.

Dorothea pulled her legs free from the man’s weight, crawled over to her phone, which had been flung into a corner, and curled herself up with her knees against her chest. She quietly sobbed as the adrenaline left her.

*

Dorothea was in a daze as members of the police and the company’s security made their way into her home. She remembers Byleth rushing into the room, gun poised for attack, only to drop her guard at the scene before her. A man laid out on the carpet, green glass shattered around his bleeding head. The cause ― a half broken wine bottle sitting nearby.

A blur of white and lilac, likely Edelgard, came rushing in behind Byleth, making a beeline towards Dorothea after spotting her huddled against the wall. She wrapped her arms around Dorothea’s shoulders. Edelgard was saying things to her, but it all just came out as empty noise. Dorothea was just so exhausted. Her chin rested on Edelgard’s shoulder as her friend hugged her tightly. The last thing she remembers is a flash of bright fuschia kneeling beside the man’s body, and curious brown eyes meeting hers from across the room.


	2. Reach for My Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plans are made for Dorothea after the attack; a new but not unwelcome face is introduced.

Petra stood outside of Edelgard’s office as Byleth, Hubert, and Edelgard herself discussed topics she was unfamiliar with. There seemed to be a lot to do after the incident last night but she wasn’t sure what _she_ should be doing; ‘guarding’ the area was really just a formality given how many layers of security it took to get there. Regardless, Byleth had asked her to stick around, so she did so. Her eyelids felt heavy after getting just under an hour of sleep before having to start work again today. She felt herself dozing off though she was standing, head nodding as she attempted to stay awake.

The last time she got so little rest was the night she had first arrived here from Brigid. Unable to fall asleep on the plane, nor in her new home, if one could call it that. Her apartment was small, the living area also being her bedroom and kitchen. The only separate place being the bathroom. The one nice thing about it was the large balcony it had. Petra smiled to herself, remembering how she had huddled up in a blanket and simply watched what she could of the stars before falling asleep outside. Perhaps it’d be a pitiful memory to most, but she kept it close to her heart as it was her first time being simply Petra, rather than who she was back home.

“Yo.” Byleth had opened one of the doors and poked her head out of the room. Startled, Petra jumped and rapidly looked around before spotting Byleth staring at her. She looked equally as tired, dark circles under her eyes and hair even messier than it usually was. Petra doubted that anyone in the office had slept at all. “El’s worried about Dorothea. Can you go to Linhardt, he’s 3 floors down in the physician’s office, then follow these instructions to get into the penthouse.” Byleth handed her a folded piece of paper.

Petra grabbed the paper gently and unraveled it to read what she had to do. “I can certainly do this, but wouldn’t it be best to have someone who is knowing Dorothea better to check on her?” she tilted her head at Byleth, confused at the request.

“Normally true, but myself and El are... preoccupied for the moment. Some backend logistical stuff we gotta review. Caspar and Bernie are fixing up Dorothea’s residence. Ferdinand hasn’t even heard about any of this yet and…yeah. Besides you know her... _kinda_ ”

“I do not believe carrying Dorothea while she was sleeping counts as knowing her…” Petra narrowed her eyes at Byleth before continuing with a sigh, “but I understand.” Byleth gave her a tired smile and returned to the discussion in the room, leaving Petra to her assigned duties.

Finding Linhardt’s office was easy, finding Linhardt himself was not. After asking several people and searching through many rooms, Petra eventually found him in one of the patient beds taking a nap. She relayed that she was here on behalf of Dorothea and then she was handed a small tray with a cup of pills, an empty ice bag, and an empty glass.

“Please make sure she drinks at least 2 glasses of water as soon as she can. Knowing her, she drank that whole bottle of wine and more.” the man rubbed his temples. Petra nodded, gave a quick thanks, and started to make her way towards Edelgard’s penthouse. Her curious mind wandered along the way; just what kind of person _was_ Dorothea? Based on Linhardt’s comment, it seemed that overly and overtly drinking was a norm for her. The woman she saw cradled up in the corner of the room, being held by Edelgard, looked like a child who was lonely, scared, _broken_ even. Yet she had to be strong and quick witted to be able to defend herself based on the aftermath of the incident. The image of Dorothea’s eyes gazing at her over Edelgard’s shoulder was burned into her memory; the bright, vivid green contrasting with a forlorn emptiness she saw within them.

The more she thought about her, or rather what little she knew of Dorothea, the more nervous Petra got. She cursed inwardly; why did she agree to Byleth’s request? Though she was sure Byleth or Edelgard could make something work had she declined, she felt indebted to them for their assistance in getting her settled in the city so it was extremely hard to say no. A problem she had regardless of who was asking her really. With a sigh she moved onward, committed to completing her task.

* * *

The first thing Dorothea is met with upon waking up is a blinding whiteness to almost everything around her. The furniture, walls, floors, even the bed she laid in were all pristinely white. The sun was shining through window panes on the other side of the room reflecting off everything and making the area exponentially brighter than it should be. It caused her eyes to squint and her head to ache. Oh god did her head _ache_! There was a familiar internal pounding of a hangover in progress, but there was also a sharp throbbing on her forehead. Her hand gently touched the area, finding it to be bruised. She groaned loudly, not looking forward to viewing the damage later.

It took a few minutes of lying in bed for her brain to start working. Hold on ― _where am I?_ Her eyes scurried around the room; multiple paintings of carnations hung on the walls, an easel with an unfinished piece sat by the window, business magazines were sprawled out on a coffee table, and with a deep breath she inhaled the familiar citrusy smell of bergamot. Dorothea sighed in relief upon realizing she was simply in Edelgard’s room. She had been here countless times over the years, though it had been awhile since her last visit and while things looked almost completely different, some things about her boss and closest friend never changed. Such as her secret love for painting, or her obsession with bergamot; using it in teas, incense oils, and it seems even her laundry had been invaded by the fruit.

But why was she here? As she sat up in bed to assess the situation, the door to Edelgard’s room cracked open. A flash of brightly purple hair was seen as a woman hesitantly peeked into the room. _Fuschia_ , she remembered fuschia, she remembered the curious brown eyes that gazed at her across the room, and… everything that came before that. She held her right wrist unconsciously, and looked down at the bruising around it, paling as memories of the night rushed into her thoughts.

Petra’s previous apprehension she had on the way there completely disappeared upon noticing Dorothea’s discomfort. She put on a gentle smile and briskly walked over to the bedside, placing the tray on the small drawer. “Ah, you are awake. I’ve brought some things from Linhardt to help ease your pains. Please be taking them.”

Dorothea didn’t, or rather found herself unable to reply. She observed quietly with small breaths to try and ease her anxieties as the stranger traveled across the room to procure a stool before she took a seat next to her. The woman’s face was well defined, accentuated by sharp brown eyes with a dose of magenta eyeshadow at the corners. Below her right eye was a curious magenta mark that Dorothea had never seen before. She was handed a glass of water and a small cup of pills, instructions being told to her though she was barely listening. As she drank the water, she gazed over the rim of the cup; the woman wore black slacks that were loosely fitted, suspenders hung over her shoulders and clung to a white dress shirt that had its sleeves rolled up. She nearly choked on the water when she noticed just how defined the muscles in the woman’s arm were.

“Are you alright? I was being told to inform Edelgard when you were awake, but perhaps you should be resting more.” the stranger had concern in her eyes, and a gentleness to her words. She patted Dorothea’s back to help with the coughing.

“I…” Dorothea took a moment to clear her throat, lest she squeak an answer to the beautiful person beside her. “I’m doing fine, thank you uh…?” 

“Ah! I’ve had much rudeness!” Petra burst out in sudden realization. “My name is Petra. I’m a new guard to the strike force and have been under Byleth’s guidance for the past few months.”

“Oh, I see. I think I saw you last night.” Dorothea chuckled and gave her a quick wink, “Hard to forget a pretty face after all.”

Petra’s eyes widened as her cheeks tinted pink, unsure of how to respond, luckily Dorothea filled the silence for her. “I’m Dorothea, though I suppose you might already know that.”

Petra regained her composure as the conversation normalized and smiled. “I am knowing this, but it is better to be hearing it from you.” Dorothea’s breath hitched; was it the smile, the kind words, Petra’s looks, or maybe all of the above that suddenly prevented her brain from working? Unwilling to become a babbling mess in front of someone she just met, she did what she does best; divert, deflect, protect.

“Know who I am, or know that you’re pretty?” Dorothea continued to tease despite her inner turmoil. She pulled her knees up and leaned on them, peering over at Petra. Emerald eyes glinting with mischief, and a small grin curving her lips. 

It was a gorgeous sight really; Dorothea before her with brown locks cascading over her bare shoulders, wearing a simple tank top that left little to imagination. Her eyes were like gems, sparkling in the light, and her lips were plump with a faded red from yesterday’s makeup… but something about it all seemed practiced, like an act was being played in front of her. Despite that, Petra’s heart was beating rapidly, a feeling she was used to if sparring or hunting but at this moment it was uncomfortable, unsettling, and unknown. She placed a hand on her chest and gripped her shirt where her heart would be. Dorothea’s flirtatious looks faded as she sat up straight with raised eyebrows and a worried expression.

“Petra…? What’s wrong? Should I call Lin?” Dorothea asked, already looking around for where her phone might be.

Petra took some deep breaths as the grip on her chest loosened, “It is being okay, I apologize for the worries. I am having uhm…” How could she explain the feeling to Dorothea when she didn’t quite understand it herself? _‘When I looked at you, it made my heart want to explode.’_ was out of the question as a response. A little white lie would have to do, though it hurt Petra to speak anything but the truth, “Burning of the heart?” She grimaced at her own statement, having certainty she used the wrong words.

“Aww, you poor thing. I’m sure Edie has something in her cabinet. Let me see!” in an instant Dorothea had jumped out of bed and skipped into the bathroom. As she passed by the mirror she paused, glancing at herself made Dorothea’s expression change, Petra wasn’t exactly sure what it was, but it was gone the next moment as Dorothea scavenged through Edelgard’s medicines.

Petra continued to sit by the bed, watching Dorothea through the doorway. She was perplexed; the diva had just been attacked in her own home, a traumatizing experience, yet she was ecstatic to help someone she barely knew with the smallest of issues. Was Dorothea just... _used_ to those sorts of events happening? Petra shuddered at the idea of that being the norm for anyone. Perhaps Dorothea just enjoyed helping others; that was more of an acceptable explanation for now.

Dorothea returned empty handed, “Drat, sorry Petra. I hope it isn’t too bad.” She plopped down on the edge of the bed, facing Petra with her legs hanging down and a pout on her face. 

Petra put a reassuring hand on Dorothea’s shoulder, “It is being okay. You have my thanks.” 

“I suppose we should get going soon, to meet with Edie? I imagine she has a lot to say.” Dorothea let out with a sigh. If anything she felt she was in for a scolding session from her friend, and she was not looking forward to that one bit.

Petra held a button on her earpiece, a thoughtful expression on her face before she nodded, “She was discussing with Byleth and Hubert about some...things? You have my apologies as I’m not knowing of the specifics.” Petra frowned for a moment, “But it seems they are finishing up now, so it would be good timing to visit.”

They left the bedroom and went to the entryway of Edelgard’s home, each putting on their shoes in preparation to leave. As Dorothea reached for the door handle, a hand was placed on hers to prevent the door from being opened. She turned around to see Petra had taken off her blazer and was offering it to her. 

“Please be taking this and putting it on before we leave.” Petra’s cheeks were flushed as she averted her gaze. Dorothea looked down at herself; the string tank top she wore hovered over her stomach and sweatpants that were far too short, both a little too snug for the songstress as well. She concluded that they both belonged to Edelgard. Admittingly it wasn’t the most modest getup, but she didn’t mind it herself though it definitely was not appropriate for a business meeting.

“Aren’t you a sweetheart? Don’t worry, Edie’s seen much _more_ than this.” Dorothea’s husky voice cooed - it caused the flush on Petra’s cheeks to burn deeper and extend to the tips of her ears, but she refused to take back her suggestion, arm held out firmly, silently. With a light laugh Dorothea took the jacket and put it on, “But I guess I don’t want to give Hubie a heart attack. Better?”

She looked silly donning a blazer and short sweatpants, but Petra glanced over and gave her a quick nod. Relief washed over Petra and she let out a breath she had been holding. Her heart tensely and rapidly beating; that feeling from before seemed to be taunting her. Dorothea held the door open, but looked at her with worry.

“Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I- yes I am fine.” she took a deep breath, then followed Dorothea out.

* * *

Hubert and Byleth sat on the couches to each side of the coffee table in front of Edelgard’s desk. A plethora of documents from house plans to photographs of unknown people laid out before them. 

Byleth’s phone buzzed with a message from Petra. She relayed the information over to Edelgard, “Petra and Dorothea are on their way. My bad for the delay, I should’ve reached out to her sooner. Perhaps Dorothea was resting though.”

“You needn’t apologize. I’d prefer if she took the whole day to rest honestly” Edelgard replied with a sigh. “Honestly she’s been taking too many opportunities lately and hasn’t properly taken a break in awhile. I cancelled her interview last night in hopes of giving her some breathing room.”

Byleth snickered, “Aren’t you the same though?” She threw the papers in her hands back on the table nonchalantly, causing a mess and earning a glare from Hubert in the process. “Personally, I think we could _all_ use a break.” she plopped her feet on top of the table and leaned back into the couch as if to emphasize her point.

Hubert’s lips pressed together tightly, a habit he had when he was frustrated but needed a moment before saying something out of line. “If I may, we don’t know who this person is, what their intent was, or if they were allied with an organized group. I think it is important to continue our investigation.”

Byleth glanced over at him, a serious but calm look in her blue eyes. “None of us have slept since retrieving Dorothea, and none of the information we have shows this incident is connected to anyone or anything really. For all we know it was an isolated attack.” she let the words sink in before continuing, “I understand the importance of ensuring everyone’s safety, I work in security after all, but we shouldn’t exert ourselves to do so. We’ve taken precautions on our end, now we hope nothing else happens and wait.”

Hubert huffed, stubborn to give up but knowing that Byleth was right. As head of their security force she was not only strong, but tactful in how they approached any possibly dangerous situation. After a moment of silence, Byleth looked towards Edelgard. Her gaze was questioning, waiting for some sort of input from her leader.

“My teacher, it seems we have much to learn from you, even outside of self-defense training.” Edelgard replied with a small smile. “However there are still some things I’d like to sort out. So let’s compromise; after I have met with Dorothea, we’ll cancel the rest of our tasks for the day.”

Byleth pretended to think about it for a moment, scratching her chin and looking up thoughtfully before grinning at Edelgard, “It’s a deal.”

A gentle knock was heard and the door opened as Edelgard beckoned them to come in. Petra stood near the entrance while Dorothea waltzed in and dropped herself next to Hubert on the couch.

“Whacha working on Hubie?” she asked, leaning over and looking at the documents on the table. He quickly shuffled them into a pile and removed them from her view.

“Nothing that you should concern yourself with, Dorothea. It seems you are doing fine.” he scowled though there was no bite to it.

Byleth gave her a small smile and chuckled as she pointed at her own forehead, “Nice job using your ‘head’ in a dicey situation.”

Dorothea immediately pouted and covered the offending bruise with both of her hands, “Yes well, I suppose I could thank my instructor for that.” The two both started to giggle and were surely about to continue bantering.

Edelgard cleared her throat before things got out of hand, “Dorothea, I’m glad you’re here and as Hubert said, doing fine. Let’s catch her up on what’s happened.”

“I’ve intercepted any leaks of the incident happening to paparazzi and newsgroups.” Hubert started, shuffling the papers from the table into his briefcase. “Additionally, the culprit has been...dealt with.” a venomous smirk slithering onto his features. No one questioned this statement further; a reluctant and soft ‘thank you’ faintly left Dorothea’s lips, appreciative she was on Hubert’s good side. 

Byleth followed with a quick explanation of the new security installed; it wasn’t anything too fancy or invasive from what she mentioned. Cameras and an alarm that would sound if certain areas were trespassed at specific times. “Caspar helped set up the gadgets, and Bernie helped to clean up the mess in the hall and your room.” she tackled on at the end. Dorothea felt a bit overwhelmed; everyone really came together for her. She wasn’t sure if she should be happy to feel so loved, or feel awful that she burdened so many people.

“Any questions, Dorothea?” Edelgard prodded, seeing the diva’s eyes and shoulders drop. Dorothea shook her head silently. “Good, now if the rest of you don’t mind… I’d like to speak with Dorothea _alone._ ” Edelgard’s tone made Dorothea squeak. Hubert gave a light bow, gathering his stuff and promptly leaving the room.

“El…” Byleth’s voice was firm with a hint of a warning as her eyes narrowed at the CEO for an instant, “Don’t be too harsh.” was all she said while leaving the room with Petra.

As they took their posts outside of Edelgard’s office, Byleth’s eyebrows raised at Petra’s outfit change, not something she had noticed earlier. She peeked back into the room at Dorothea’s attire and connected the dots; a smug grin plastered on her face afterwards. Petra swiftly closed the doors behind them.

“I ask that you do not be teasing me. Dorothea has already done much teasing and I fear I can’t take much more.” Petra sighed. She stood with her back straight and arms folded behind her, finding the wall in front of them extremely interesting for the meantime. Byleth simply hummed in acknowledgement.

“Can I be saying something?” Petra glanced over at Byleth, who gave her another hum. ”I am… surprised you can speak like that towards Edelgard. As our boss, I would be thinking she’d not approve or be scolding you.” Byleth brought a hand to her chin as she thought of how to explain the situation.

“In orientation last month, you were told about the company’s values right? How people here are treated equally; the president is the same as the janitor on the second floor. Stuff like that.” Petra nodded as Byleth continued, “Edelgard truly believes in those words. Us being able to talk normally to one another is just how things are here. I know you’re quietly observing for the most part right now, but don’t be shy to speak up or be yourself here. Besides,” Byleth chuckled, “She’s a big softie, even if she doesn’t show it. I don’t think she’d scold anyone for anything. Don’t let her know I said that though.”

Petra giggled in return, “Your secret is being safe with me.”

Discussion between Edelgard and Dorothea could be heard on their earpieces. Well, a one-sided discussion that started with Edelgard being thankful that Dorothea was safe, but she was quick to start reprimanding Dorothea for a multitude of things; drinking too much, burdening Bernadetta, not taking care of herself, amongst other topics.

“Is it being alright to listen to this?” Petra asked, tilting her head towards Byleth as the discussion in their ears continued. An exasperated sigh could be heard from Dorothea.

“It’s fine for now. Usually Edelgard leaves the line on if she wants us to be listening.” Byleth explained, “Orrrr if she forgets that it’s on... She’ll turn it off if need be.” she gave a sheepish shrug.

“Absolutely not!” the retort was so loud it rang on their ear pieces it caused them both to wince. Byleth cracked open the door just to make sure things weren’t getting too out of hand. Dorothea and Edelgard arguing was not anything new for those who had been there for awhile. The two were infamously stubborn; though Edelgard could technically pull the “boss” card, she didn’t like doing so to her friends unless it was necessary. Edelgard’s hands slammed down on her desk.

“You stubborn wench! For the love of all that is good, do _not_ make me pull the boss card today.” she practically hissed at Dorothea. She spotted Byleth peeking into the room, curious blue eyes surveying the situation and making contact with Edelgard’s gaze. A silent conversation; should I intervene, Byleth seemed to ask. Edelgard took a deep breath and pinched at the bridge of her nose in an attempt to calm down. She then waved her wrist at the door, an instruction for Byleth to shut it, and so she did.

“Look, I’m trying to help you as your _friend_ , Thea. But when you push even _me_ away it makes it hard to do that.”

This made Dorothea hesitate, before she responded quietly, “Then...can we talk as friends please?”

Another deep breath and a moment of silence. “Yes, we can do that.” was Edelgard’s gentle reply.

A quiet beep and their discussion could no longer be heard. Petra shuffled her feet nervously; the conversation had sounded intense and she had wanted to jump in though it was not her place. Looking over at Byleth who was calm, she realized things would probably be okay and forced herself still.

* * *

Edelgard sat herself next to Dorothea, the antique couch creaking just a bit as she did so. At first there was a gap between them, and neither said anything. Edelgard moved closer, the silence continued. She moved closer, then closer again till she bumped right into Dorothea’s body. The silliness of the moment caused them both to laugh.

“I love you Dorothea, do you know that?” Dorothea nodded, eyes soon becoming glassy with tears. She had always felt she was not deserving of such, especially from Edelgard. She attempted to hide her face as she lacked elegance covered in tears and snot, but Edelgard prevented her from doing so by grabbing her hands and holding them firmly within her own.

“Do you think I’d ever hurt you, or do something that would hurt you?” she asked. Dorothea shook her head instantly. “Good” Edelgard replied with a smile. She wiped the corner of Dorothea’s eyes with her thumb, and grabbed the tissue box from the coffee table for Dorothea to clean herself up.

“I know both of us have things we haven’t told one another, that is just how things are for some people, but I need you to trust me and to be open at least for this. You have refused being assigned a personal bodyguard multiple times. Having a person nearby to protect you, and perhaps offer companionship, does not seem like a bad idea in my eyes...so can you tell me why it seems like one in yours?”

Dorothea was silent at first, staring off into the corner of the room. Afraid she’d be given the silent treatment, Edelgard gave her hand a squeeze, and Dorothea squeezed back. She needed some time, which Edelgard would of course give her.

After what felt like many moons Dorothea spoke and turned back to face Edelgard, “Edie, I’m going to say some things that maybe don’t make sense okay? Don’t think I’m crazy, please...” She let out a breath as Edelgard nodded, urging her on. “I’m _afraid_ , which is ironic because that’s the exact opposite feeling someone protecting you is supposed to give.” she chuckled, “I just… I don’t… ugh this is hard. I guess I don’t want someone being so close to me. There are sides of me I’m not proud of Edie and with someone around me all the time, they’d be able to see those parts of me that no one else has.”

“Like what? We have all seen the drunk Dorothea with enough sultry to make a call girl look proper, the Dorothea that cries at the end of a children’s movie and... I have seen the Dorothea who cares so much for others, but has so little love for herself.” the last statement made Edelgard frown deeply, concerned lilacs gazing at Dorothea intensely.

“Ah… you really read me like a book huh, Edie?” Dorothea looked away from her again with a guilty grin, her friend’s stare too much for her to bear.

“Are you… having those thoughts again? Do you want me to call Manuela?” Edelgard turned her head as well, facing the opposite of Dorothea now.

  
“No to both of those, especially the latter.” Dorothea’s answer was immediate. “I know you had good intentions Edie, but… getting something from her was…” she couldn’t find the words to describe it. Her memories of Manuela were full of love and it hurt that was no longer the case.

“I would apologize, but I’m not sorry. Did you at least read what she had to say?” although she wasn’t looking, she could tell that Edelgard wore an annoyed expression. Dorothea’s silence was all the answer she needed and she clicked her tongue as a response. “Really, Thea? I did not read it myself obviously as I trust her intentions, but I strongly believe you should hear her out.”

“What’s the point? She must hate me after what I did. I abandoned her Edie, just like I had been abandoned. I...if I can’t forgive myself for that then how could she forgive me? I can never go back there...” Dorothea sniffled. In an abrupt movement her head was turned to face Edelgard; those fierce violet eyes glossed over with threatening tears.

“Dorothea, I… perhaps I should have said or done something sooner, but let me say it now- Are you happy here? Do you want to leave?”

“I…” Dorothea’s eyebrows raised as a small gasp left her lips. Edelgard anywhere near crying was a rare sight and the questions were unexpected. She tugged her friend towards her and they wrapped their arms around one another tightly as quiet tears fell alongside soft sniffles.

“Edie… it’s hard to explain.” Dorothea whispered, “Everything in my life is really surreal and amazing. I have friends, no that’s wrong... a _family_ here at the Black Eagles, I have a roof over my head, savings for my future; really I don’t know why I can’t be happy with all that. Am I being selfish?”

“No, I don’t think that is selfish, Thea.” Edelgard stated confidently, “I understand those feelings quite well. There is something else you yearn for, to fill your own needs and desires.” She stood abruptly from the couch and walked back over to her desk, taking a seat as she grabbed a paper and a pen. She started to scribble frantically on the page.

“Edie…?” Dorothea tilted her head.

“Do you trust me, Thea?” she didn’t look up from the page she was writing on.

“Yes Edie, of course I trust you.”

“I can’t always be there for you, so please allow me to do this instead. I’m getting you a personal bodyguard. Tell me what would make you most comfortable.” she finally stopped writing and glanced up at the brunette, who looked at her with confusion. A small smile from Edelgard gave her comfort. She tentatively started to list some attributes, Edelgard taking the time to write things down. _Kind, patient, forgiving, good looks wouldn’t hurt, and preferably female._ Edelgard looked at what she had written, and chuckled a bit before practically howling in laughter. Dorothea couldn’t help but smile as her boss wiped a tear from her eye.

“Thea, I feel as though I am writing part of your dating profile” she admitted between gasps of air. To this, Dorothea snorted and joined in the laughter. It took awhile for the two to settle down, a peaceful bliss settling in after their fit of giggles.

“I want more moments like this Edie, where we can just be ourselves” Dorothea said dreamily as she leaned back into the couch and gazed up at the ceiling.

“Hmm, a good point. I would enjoy that as well.” Edelgard scribbled some more things down.

“What is it that you’re doing over there anyways?” Dorothea questioned with narrowed eyes, clambering out of the couch towards Edelgard’s desk.

“An amendment or two to your contract, and guidelines for the lucky guard that gets to protect you. Here, take a look.” Edelgard handed the makeshift contract, handwritten in her elegant cursive for Dorothea to review.

_~***~_

_I, Dorothea Arnault, swear to take care of myself under_

_the guidance and trust of Edelgard von Hresvelg._

_Should I ever need assistance in any form that I_

_cannot provide to myself, I shall rely on my family,_ _  
_ _the Black Eagles._

_To best serve myself and my staff members_

_I promise to do the following:_

_1\. Be attended by my personal guard as needed_ _  
_ _in public and in private locations_

 _2\. Take breaks on a monthly basis to_ _prevent overexertion_

 _3\. Keep the last Sunday of each month_ _open for Edelgard to visit_

_I ask that my bodyguard be kind, patient, forgiving,_

_and somewhat good looking._

_x__________ _x_ _E. Hresvelg_ _x__________

_~***~_

“Well, what do you think? Make sure to read the fine print.” Edelgard teased as Dorothea snagged the pen from her hand.

“You insufferable dolt. Is this even legally binding?” Dorothea attempted to scoff, but a giggle escaped her as she signed her name on the page.

“Hmm, I think I can just add it to your records, but I’ll have Hubert figure it out.” Edelgard shrugged.

“Do you have anyone in mind for the job?” Dorothea asked, curling her brown locks around a finger as she sat on Edelgard’s desk, legs dangling over the edge. Edelgard eyed the blazer that Dorothea was wearing and smirked.

“I do.” Edelgard pressed a button on her desk, “Byleth, can you please bring Petra in?”

“Edie, w-wait a moment!” Dorothea sputtered out, but there was no stopping the CEO when her mind was made up.

On the other side of the door, the two guards jumped at the sudden sound, having been in silence for almost an hour. Petra looked at Byleth as though she had seen a ghost. 

“She is wanting _me_?” she stared at Byleth who was already opening the door.

“There aren’t any other Petras.” Byleth deadpanned, holding the door open for her to follow.

Edelgard motioned for Petra to come towards them as Dorothea attempted to put herself together. She continued to twirl hair around her finger, but a more nervous expression replaced the nonchalant one she wore a few moments ago.

“Petra, can you please read through this and let me know if you can handle these tasks.” Edelgard handed her the contract with an amused smile as Dorothea’s face flushed. It was rare for her friend to be flustered; she made a mental note to question Dorothea about it later.

As Petra read over the sheet carefully, the cursive was giving her a bit of a hard time, Dorothea could feel herself slowly dying of embarrassment with each second passing by. The songstress thought this contract was a joke between friends, not realizing Edelgard had meant it in all seriousness. Having someone read it felt invasive in a way; the things written down were like adolescent dreams. Childish, idealistic, perhaps even stupid to some. She mouthed an “I-will-kill-you” to Edelgard as they waited, though Edelgard’s amusement merely grew.

“I am believing I can assist in accomplishing these tasks.” Petra started confidently, “Dorothea called me pretty earlier, so I am thinking I qualify for ‘good looking’ as well.” she chuckled and looked at Dorothea with a smile.

Dorothea couldn’t tell if Petra was being earnest or teasing, either way was extremely frustrating for her in the moment with Edelgard stifling her giggles on the sideline. Though she was internally screaming, she replied in a calm tone, “Why Petra, to call you good looking would be an understatement you know. You could give royalty a run for their money with that face of yours.”

Petra flinched at the compliment, her smile rapidly fading. Edelgard quickly and calmly procured a pen for her, nodding towards the contract. “Y-you are too kind, I shall agree to these terms then.” she signed the paper with a shaky hand.

“Excellent, Caspar and Byleth will be reaching out to you over the course of the next week. You will need to learn about the security layout of Dorothea’s residence, as well as other tasks you’ll likely have as a personal guard.” Edelgard instructed.

“Soooo, we’re good for the rest of the day then?” Byleth chimed in, reminding Edelgard of her promise.

“Yes, I suppose this seals the deal quite literally. Alright, I ask that you all take the rest of the day off. Dorothea, you’ll have the next few days off.” Edelgard stood up and piled the papers on her desk.

“What? But I-” Dorothea was already sulking.

“No buts.” Edelgard held a finger up to her. “If anything, you need time for that bruise on your head to heal before you can be out and about. Otherwise Hubert’s work will go to waste.”

Dorothea couldn’t argue with that.

“Byleth, can you go with Dorothea to grab her things? Petra and I will meet you in the garage after.” She gave Edelgard a nod and motioned for Dorothea to follow her, leaving the other two behind. Edelgard tapped her ear and looked at Petra, who then turned off the device after understanding the silent instruction.

“Petra, I am sorry for throwing you into this, but I do believe you are capable of… doing more than protecting Dorothea.” Edelgard had an expression that Petra couldn’t quite place. 

Petra tilted her head, “You are not needing apologies as I’m happy to help, though I’m not quite sure what you mean.”

“In due time it’ll make sense, at least I hope so. That being said I must warn you that she’s _very_ good at reading people. I have no doubt she noticed your hesitation when she mentioned royalty.” this made Petra grimace. “I imagine she’ll have things figured out in the next few days since she’ll have plenty of freetime. You can let things happen naturally like that, or I could inform her if you wish.”

Petra’s eyebrows furrowed, “I…”

“You have my word that regardless of how Dorothea finds out, she will respect any wishes you have regarding it.” Edelgard’s firm but gentle voice gave Petra comfort.

“I am trusting you as you’ve done a great deal to help me already. If it is being okay, I would like to tell her myself.” Petra straightened her posture, puffing her chest with arms behind her back, “As the future queen and current princess of Brigid, I should be getting used to introducing myself as such.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When you accidentally almost write an Edelthea fic during your DoroPetra story. I listened to Edge of Dawn on repeat a lot while writing this, hence the title. :')
> 
> Let me know what you think and if there's anything in particular you'd like to see. Stay safe and happy friendos.
> 
> With love,

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for taking the time to read. As a warning, don't expect consistent updates because I don't totally have this story figured out, but I have some ideas that I want to see along the way. If you guys have ideas please let me know in the comments, though I can't promise it'll get implemented. Comments about our darlings Dorothea and Petra welcomed, kudos appreciated. <3


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